Ren's sharp retort made Hachiman Hikigaya, stuck on the sidelines, scoot even deeper into the corner. He was terrified that if Ren and Yukino Yukinoshita started fighting, he'd get caught in it. He couldn't outargue Yukino, and he couldn't outargue Ren either. And if it turned physical, he had no chance.
Right now, Hachiman could only pray that Yui Yuigahama showed up early. Maybe only Yui could cool things down. At minimum, she could hide in the corner with him; if he had to die, at least Yui would be there too.
Poison-tongue?
Ren's remark made Yukino's eyebrows twitch. It was the first time someone had slapped a nickname on her to her face and used it to address her.
"Poison-tongue, you haven't forgotten last night's reward, have you?" Ren looked unconcerned, openly looking Yukino over.
"I have not, Scum-kun."
Yukino took the handmade cookies she'd baked after getting home last night from the shoulder bag by her feet. She set them on the desk and pushed them toward Ren. Unlike the small packaging of a typical return gift, the bag Yukino brought was more than three times the usual size. The portion, at least, was generous.
The tense atmosphere instantly turned into a gift handoff. Hachiman, still shrinking in the corner, froze.
What on earth?
Leaving aside how well Ren was fed at home by his fiancée, the "Angel" Mahiru Shiina—who was great at cooking—just look at what he'd gotten today: first Megumi Kato, then Nino Nakano, and now you, Yukino Yukinoshita, with another bag... and a huge one.
What has Ren done to deserve this?
Hachiman nearly ground his teeth to dust. In the middle of his frustration, something hard in his pocket nudged his arm... He went quiet. The envy drained away, and reason took over as he remembered how Ren treated him.
It seemed... Ren really did deserve all of it.
"You put effort into this, Poison-tongue. Thanks."
Noticing the "special" packaging, Ren's view of Yukino sharpened. He gestured toward the tea cabinet nearby—something that shouldn't even exist at school—and asked, "May I use your tea set?"
"Please do, Scum-kun."
With permission, Ren went to the cabinet and took out the set. Good—no tea bags. He brewed three cups of black tea with practiced ease, then set out three small saucers and placed some of Yukino's cookies onto them.
"Poison-tongue, please."
He slid a cup of tea and a saucer of cookies in front of Yukino, then called to Hachiman, who was still holed up in the corner.
"Hikigaya, come eat."
"Thanks."
Hachiman didn't eat at Yukino's desk. He picked up the tea and cookies Ren prepared and retreated to his corner again. The last saucer was left aside by Ren, who barely looked at it.
For a moment, the cowering Hachiman felt oddly calm, as if time slowed down. Ren refilled Yukino's cup, which was nearly empty, and smiled faintly. "So, Poison-tongue, how is it?"
"It's good."
Knowing what he meant, Yukino nodded and praised Ren's tea-brewing.
"This is my return gift for your cookies. I'm leaving."
Ren filled Yukino's saucer with more cookies, then pushed Yui Yuigahama's chair back to where it belonged. The reward was collected; it was time to go. Before he left, he added a few more cookies for Hachiman. "See you later, Hikigaya."
"Yeah, see you, Katsuragi."
The Service Club settled again. Yukino didn't go back to reading; she took small bites from the cookies on her plate. Hachiman welcomed the quiet.
"Yahallo~!"
The door swung open, and a late Yui Yuigahama walked in, greeting them with trendy internet slang. She immediately spotted Yukino and Hachiman eating cookies. Thinking they were sneaking food without her, Yui puffed her cheeks in an instant, like an angry pufferfish.
"Yukinon! Hikki! You guys..."
Just as she was about to scold them, she noticed the untouched saucer piled with cookies on Yukino's desk, and her anger vanished.
"Hehe, so there was a portion for me after all."
"Yui?"
Yukino looked at her in confusion, not understanding how her face changed that fast.
"Yukinon is the best to me. You always leave me a portion no matter what you're eating."
She pulled her chair next to Yukino, pressed in close, and dragged the untouched saucer toward herself. Pouring herself a cup of tea, she started eating happily.
...
Eriri Spencer Sawamura stood alone by a bench in the school garden, head lowered. Her twin-tails hung limp. She felt dazed; she didn't know if what she did today was right.
In the clubroom, Eriri's line to Tomoya Aki—"If you want to make a fuss, go make a fuss with Katsuragi Ren"—had set him off. Since he couldn't take it out on Eriri physically, Tomoya chose a different way to corner her.
"Eriri, you're doing this again. You abandoned me because of other people back then, too."
"Are you deciding to abandon me again now?"
After giving her a look of outright disappointment, Tomoya turned and left the clubroom with a pathetic gait. As if... Eriri had hurt him all over again.
"Little Golden Retriever, what's going on here?"
Ren, wandering the school after leaving the Service Club, spotted the dejected Eriri and asked, surprised.
"Katsuragi Ren, are you here to bully me again?"
Hearing her name, Eriri looked up on reflex—but when she saw it was Ren, she lowered her head again. Ren was always watching her struggle; she didn't want him to see her like this. She was sure he wouldn't comfort her. He'd just mock her.
Ren sat beside her, took out a candy, and shoved it into her mouth. To stop her from spitting it out, he covered her mouth with his hand.
Feeling something in her mouth, Eriri remembered the painfully sour orange Ren had given her last time. She immediately tried to spit out whatever he fed her.
Ugh...
Eriri's eyes widened. She didn't expect him to actually block her with his hand. With no way to refuse, she had to accept it.
But it was candy... and it was sweet.
Ren pulled his hand away, looked at Eriri—still slumped—and spoke bluntly.
"Why feel so sad? Isn't your life already ridiculous enough as it is, Eriri?"